AIG Gets $4.3 Billion of Credit; Seeks to Exit Bailout

Monday, 27 December 2010 15:26

American International Group Inc., the insurer bailed out by the U.S., garnered $4.3 billion in bank credit lines in another step toward repaying taxpayers and gaining independence. The credit, provided by more than 30 banks and administered by JPMorgan Chase & Co., includes two $1.5 billion facilities, one for three years and the other for 364 days, AIG said today in a regulatory filing.

AIG, which is seeking to replace government funds with private capital, said Dec. 8 that it struck a deal to repay a $20 billion Federal Reserve Bank of New York credit line and would then turn to stock sales to repay the U.S. Treasury Department.

The insurer must demonstrate access to capital markets before the U.S. fully withdraws its support, Treasury Chief Restructuring Officer Jim Millstein has said.

The credit lines are “another important vote of confidence by the market in AIG,” Chief Executive Officer Robert Benmosche said in a separate statement. “We believe we are close enough to completing our recapitalization plan that we can see the finish line.”